More thoughts from our vacation to the "Yooper" (or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan). For some reason the locals have been calling it the yooper, like a lazy-day way to say U-P. Interesting.
1. LegoMaster and DadOfAllTrades decide to try to take some photos of the family with the stop timer on the camera. It is quite entertaining to me to watch my son teach my husband how to work an electronic device. Not because DadOfAllTrades cannot do it, He is more than capable. But because it amazes me how kiddos pick up on how to work gadgets on their own while the parents are still fumbling with the written directions. We take some slapstick shots of ourselves while others are looking on wondering what we are doing. One lady even offers to take the photo for us. I just tell her that we are having fun, so no, but thanks for the offer.
2. I am going to start today with last night. It rained. A lot of rain. Raining ALL night. And this prompted little boys to empty their bladders more than once, sometimes in their sleep. Believe folks when they tell you that the sound of running water can make one have to pee.
3. I am very impressed with the display in the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and the boys are very interested in learning about what they are seeing. I am glad we read the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald because they knew what they were going to see and it made it that much more exciting for them. The only bummer is that one must be 8 years old or older to climb the lighthouse, so Buzz was bummed. We did hear the fog siren go off many times. And we did get to walk along Lake Superior, DadOfAllTrades and my first time to touch that lake, and we collected some really great rocks that wash up from the lake. Cool. DadOfAllTrades has now touched all five Great Lakes. Whoot!
4. On the way back, DadOfAllTrades and I spy a small sign for a lighthouse and decide spur of the moment to venture to see it. The boys are busy watching movies, so they don’t even realize we turned. The road is the sandy dirt they have around here, and DadOfAllTrades gets a little twinkle in his eye. He switches to 4-wheel-drive and starts bajaing. The boys finally catch on and turn off the movies in favor of telling DadOfAllTrades where to slide around next. It is really fun to listen to them wonder how high the splash of the water will be. Remember how it has been raining very hard for over 24 hours? There are plenty of large puddles to ride through. It turns out this lighthouse is 18 miles from the turn and at mile 15 we start to wonder if it is a hoax. The sandy road is getting narrower and the trees are getting lusher. Every once in a while we see a driveway to somewhere. This would be a great spot to grab someone and make them disappear forever. Just sayin’.
5. After days of rain, DadOfAllTrades decides to just let the boys play. They busy themselves with the matchbox cars and a race track of their own making while they pretend they are NASCAR drivers. Buzz is covered from ankle to hip with black, sandy mud. DadOfAllTrades is getting the tackle together. This is vacation!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Vacation Memories
Sorry about the hiatus, folks. I was in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They have no cell phone service and even less WiFi up there. It was truly a blessing to not be able to check my electronic life. But I did miss reading The Pioneer Woman.
Oh, and we attended a NASCAR race. What a sight. And that was just the cars. The other attendees could have been a whole blog post, but I will let you use your imagination.
Here are a few highlights of my trip from my personal journal:
1. Of course, because of the timing of leaving, we have to stop for lunch of Einstein Bagels (me) and Burger King (the boys) at the rest stop. I am feeling pretty virtuous about my lunch choice until I realize I am still hungry. Hmm. I guess I will have some fries to finish that off. Oh, wait, they have onion rings at BK. Yum. LegoMaster wants more fries, so I buy both. Then finish them off when LegoMaster eats only half of his fries. Oh well, at least I tried to eat better. I had more veggies than the boys did.
Oh, and we attended a NASCAR race. What a sight. And that was just the cars. The other attendees could have been a whole blog post, but I will let you use your imagination.
Here are a few highlights of my trip from my personal journal:
1. Of course, because of the timing of leaving, we have to stop for lunch of Einstein Bagels (me) and Burger King (the boys) at the rest stop. I am feeling pretty virtuous about my lunch choice until I realize I am still hungry. Hmm. I guess I will have some fries to finish that off. Oh, wait, they have onion rings at BK. Yum. LegoMaster wants more fries, so I buy both. Then finish them off when LegoMaster eats only half of his fries. Oh well, at least I tried to eat better. I had more veggies than the boys did.
My food choice catches up with me as I fall asleep in a food coma then miss the “Welcome to Michican!” sign. Bummer. Call me weird, but the state line signs are a highlight.
2. We go on a monster truck ride. Really, we do-kinda gimmick-y, but the boys loved it. LegoMaster gets a Jimmie replica matchbox car and Jimmie baseball hat. Buzz gets a Kasey replica matchbox car, then does a whole lotta complaining that he cannot get the $65 bigger replica car. ‘Ain’t no way we are spending that amount of money on a car that will be broken in a week. Buzz does not want a shirt or hat, so we do a whole lotta ignoring and head on our way.
3. GENTLEMEN…START YOUR ENGINES!! That is how we woke up the boys today-by jumping on their bed and saying the most famous words in all of racing. They are unimpressed as they were still sleeping at 6:15 (very late for them) and groggily sit up. DadOfAllTrades had read the fan brochure last night, so we have our plan and we are sticking to it. Parking lots open at 6am, gates open at 8am. DadOfAllTrades wants to be there early to get a pit pass. Once we leave I discover I have left the tickets in the hotel and we must turn back. At least it was only two minutes into the trip.
4. DadOfAllTrades suggests we call a friend who also has gone to races before. So we dial her number and hold the phone up as the cars go by for the first lap. DadOfAllTrades tells me just to do that and hang up, but I can’t stop giggling so I try to talk to her.
5. When we climb the Old Mackinac Light, we can see two great lakes-Michigan to our left and Huron to our right- and the Mackinac (mack-in-aw) Bridge. The sight is very cool and I could stay up here for hours just watching the goings on. But we must move on, and down the stairs, and up north.
6. We arrive at campsite to the greetings of huge horse flies and a kid from two sites over. Frankly, I am not sure which is more annoying. I would like the boys to help set up camp, but Nathan is not getting out of the way. I dump the sand toys away from where we are setting up the camper and DadOfAllTrades and I try to bust a move getting things going. I am so hungry that my hands are shaking, but I refrain from being grumpy as much as possible because there is nothing I can do but try to find what I packed. The boys are officially gone down the ravine behind the campsite. I want to freak because of the poison ivy factor and the fact that I cannot see my children in a strange place. But I put my trust in God and hope He keeps a watch over them while they innocently explore like boys should do.
7. Morning number one in the camper and I attempt to make pancakes and sausage for breakfast. With a flick of the switch, the propane lights and we are in business. Again, no rustic camping for me. Our neighbor called it “girlie camping” and I totally agree. This girl loves it. And then it starts to rain.
More tomorrow...
Thursday, June 16, 2011
20 Questions: Part 1-10
I saw this idea to ask yourself twenty random questions. I liked that idea, so here goes...
1. What is your least favorite household chore? Dusting. It just gets dusty a few minutes after one does the chore, so why bother. Dusting to me usually involves water and a pail. I do it once a year, weather it needs it or not. Or at least when guests come, and not the playgroup kinda guests. The other mothers of youngin's must learn to ignore dust.
2. Where would you go to visit if money was no object? Mediterranean cruise for a year. I don't think I could adequately explore with just a week or two. And one must guarantee I will get safely back to the states. I have this fear of travel outside the continental US.
3. What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you? I was chosen to speak at a national convention when I was running a fitness center for the elderly. When I received the phone call that I would be speaking, I literally froze on the phone. I could not even write down the pertinent info, so I had to ask her to repeat herself. Then, flying out to L.A., looking at the room in which I was to speak, knowing that there would be over 300 in attendance. Wow, wow, wow. I hyperventilated in the hotel the morning of, and spilled my water on my lap as I was being introduced. If I remember correctly, I did well, but it truthfully is one of those moments one feels like they are outside themselves.
4. What is the way you handle stress? Eating, ignoring, eating, or going into hyper-drive. And did I mention eating?
5. If you could own any car, what would it be? One that is paid for and gets 30 miles per gallon or more. I really do not care what I drive as long as it is not making a huge dent in our pocketbook.
6. Least likely to be voted...? Best singer. I am tone deaf, a fact I discovered in college when I asked a dorm friend to teach me to sing "I will survive" by Gloria Gaynor ( "At first I was amazed...I was petrified...Thinking I could never live without you by my side..." Now try getting that song out of your head). He was in musical theater and said "Sure." Then he heard me sing, and told me to never do that again. I have taken his advice and now know there IS something I am not good at.
7. Make the bed or not make the bed? I tend to throw the quilt over the bed. However it lands, it stays that way. Unless DadOfAllTrades is home. Then he adjusts it perfectly as if he had a ruler in his hip pocket. If he is at work in the morning when I toss, he just adjusts it later upon his arrival home. See how different we are and how we have had to learn to adjust to each other's weaknesses? Ahh, marital bliss.
8. You are in the checkout line. What do you do to pass the time? Depends. If I am with my boys, I usually am removing things from little hands and saying "no, we do not need another chap stick." If I am by my lonesome, then I scan the tabloid covers and wonder why anyone would want to be a celebrity. Then I stare at what the person in front of me is buying; wondering what they are making for dinner. Then I shift weight. Then I zone out and usually forget to give the cashier the store card for discounts until halfway through. It is around this point that I remember that I forgot something like milk or bread.
9. A spare hour in the afternoon. What do you do? Sleep. I love me some naps. No other choice here.
10. If you could dine with any famous person, who would it be? This is one of those questions that makes my heart go pitter patter. I have this irrational fear of authority. I once ran into the local weatherman, the guy on the TV nightly, at my church. I mean, RAN INTO him and almost knocked him down. I spent the next ten seconds staring at him wide eyed and open mouthed like a kid. Couldn't even say "I'm sorry for hurting you." So, if I could have a meal of not being tongue tied, I guess it would have to be Jesus or Steven King or maybe John Travolta. I know, wide range of personalities there, but they all seem so interesting to me.
Stay tuned for questions 11-20.
1. What is your least favorite household chore? Dusting. It just gets dusty a few minutes after one does the chore, so why bother. Dusting to me usually involves water and a pail. I do it once a year, weather it needs it or not. Or at least when guests come, and not the playgroup kinda guests. The other mothers of youngin's must learn to ignore dust.
2. Where would you go to visit if money was no object? Mediterranean cruise for a year. I don't think I could adequately explore with just a week or two. And one must guarantee I will get safely back to the states. I have this fear of travel outside the continental US.
3. What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you? I was chosen to speak at a national convention when I was running a fitness center for the elderly. When I received the phone call that I would be speaking, I literally froze on the phone. I could not even write down the pertinent info, so I had to ask her to repeat herself. Then, flying out to L.A., looking at the room in which I was to speak, knowing that there would be over 300 in attendance. Wow, wow, wow. I hyperventilated in the hotel the morning of, and spilled my water on my lap as I was being introduced. If I remember correctly, I did well, but it truthfully is one of those moments one feels like they are outside themselves.
4. What is the way you handle stress? Eating, ignoring, eating, or going into hyper-drive. And did I mention eating?
5. If you could own any car, what would it be? One that is paid for and gets 30 miles per gallon or more. I really do not care what I drive as long as it is not making a huge dent in our pocketbook.
6. Least likely to be voted...? Best singer. I am tone deaf, a fact I discovered in college when I asked a dorm friend to teach me to sing "I will survive" by Gloria Gaynor ( "At first I was amazed...I was petrified...Thinking I could never live without you by my side..." Now try getting that song out of your head). He was in musical theater and said "Sure." Then he heard me sing, and told me to never do that again. I have taken his advice and now know there IS something I am not good at.
7. Make the bed or not make the bed? I tend to throw the quilt over the bed. However it lands, it stays that way. Unless DadOfAllTrades is home. Then he adjusts it perfectly as if he had a ruler in his hip pocket. If he is at work in the morning when I toss, he just adjusts it later upon his arrival home. See how different we are and how we have had to learn to adjust to each other's weaknesses? Ahh, marital bliss.
8. You are in the checkout line. What do you do to pass the time? Depends. If I am with my boys, I usually am removing things from little hands and saying "no, we do not need another chap stick." If I am by my lonesome, then I scan the tabloid covers and wonder why anyone would want to be a celebrity. Then I stare at what the person in front of me is buying; wondering what they are making for dinner. Then I shift weight. Then I zone out and usually forget to give the cashier the store card for discounts until halfway through. It is around this point that I remember that I forgot something like milk or bread.
9. A spare hour in the afternoon. What do you do? Sleep. I love me some naps. No other choice here.
10. If you could dine with any famous person, who would it be? This is one of those questions that makes my heart go pitter patter. I have this irrational fear of authority. I once ran into the local weatherman, the guy on the TV nightly, at my church. I mean, RAN INTO him and almost knocked him down. I spent the next ten seconds staring at him wide eyed and open mouthed like a kid. Couldn't even say "I'm sorry for hurting you." So, if I could have a meal of not being tongue tied, I guess it would have to be Jesus or Steven King or maybe John Travolta. I know, wide range of personalities there, but they all seem so interesting to me.
Stay tuned for questions 11-20.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The search for..
I have begun the process of packing for the upcoming camping trip. Guess what? I am taking a break because I have to do a few deep breaths. Not that I am freaked out, but...
Although the camper I am borrowing is fully stocked by experts. Although said experts have given me a printed out, neatly spaced and columned list. Although DadOfAllTrades had gone camping before on every family vacation of his youth. ...I feel like a moron.
I even called him and asked: "What does one bring to the shower?" The silence on the other end of the phone was almost deafening.
What I meant to say was "What do you want to use to carry your grooming supplies to the shower? What one thing will not get too wet and gross?" He is starting to wonder about my sanity. And that is not good since I am the one with all the addresses, all the confirmation numbers and printed tickets.
I guess I have to begin to laugh. I hope it is a sane kinda laugh, not one that makes him wonder any more.
Although the camper I am borrowing is fully stocked by experts. Although said experts have given me a printed out, neatly spaced and columned list. Although DadOfAllTrades had gone camping before on every family vacation of his youth. ...I feel like a moron.
I even called him and asked: "What does one bring to the shower?" The silence on the other end of the phone was almost deafening.
What I meant to say was "What do you want to use to carry your grooming supplies to the shower? What one thing will not get too wet and gross?" He is starting to wonder about my sanity. And that is not good since I am the one with all the addresses, all the confirmation numbers and printed tickets.
I guess I have to begin to laugh. I hope it is a sane kinda laugh, not one that makes him wonder any more.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Seven Quick Takes
1. The end of school has officially kicked my sweet behind once again. I look at the calendar at the beginning of May and say to myself : "Self, You only have four weeks left without the boys. You want them back to spend more leisurely time with them , but you want to GET STUFF DONE. So, go, get to it, move, up-and-at-'em." Then, next thing I know, it is the last week of school and I am at somebody's classroom every day and nothing, I mean NOTHING, is finished. And I am exhausted as if everything got done. So...on to the next point.
2. I was able to get a HUGE amount of stuff out of my house in our garage sale. (Remember this 40-bag challenge photo? I had more than double that.) My goal was to make enough money to pay for karate camp for the boys. And we did! Plus some! Paid for one payment on our CSA also. Cool. Also made roughly 472 trips to goodwill-type drop-offs. Well, maybe not that many, but I was going every day for a week so it felt like that many. So in truth, I did get a lot done. I was not being grumpy in #1 above. Maybe not.
3. I have 15 tomato plants..Yes FIFTEEN tomato plants: beefsteak, roma and cherry. I decided to try to start tomatoes from seeds this year. The boys and I planted one egg carton each of the three types. Since I have nothing next to a green thumb, I figured I would get two, maybe three, plants from each egg carton. Well, the seed gods smiled on me and I have a wonderful amount of green viney-like plants. I better stock up on canning jars. <huge smile> Just a couple in this photo, not sure why I did not take the whole shebang.
4. The main part of my flowerbeds are mulched. Clap-clap-clap. Whoosh, that was a lot of work. I think I have put down six yards, roughly. There are still the around the tree type mulching jobs that need to be done. But to do those, I need 10 gallons of Round-Up. Or maybe more with all the weeds that are there. But I am proud that what is near the house is looking good. I can't believe I did all that, and liked it. I couldn't do it for a career, but it was very rewarding.
5. I only Pinned two or three things today. How's that for a confession? Forgive me Father, for I have.....Pinned. Chuckle!
6. LegoMaster sent me over the edge today by grabbing Buzz's lovey and ripping it. We have a house rule that favorite items are not touched unless one has been lost and you are the recovery crew. LegoMaster has been walking the fine line of kindness (good-v-bad) with his brother as of late and I am at my tolerance limit. When I heard the wailing from the next room, I knew something was terribly wrong. I find LM running out the door and Buzz crying like.... well, like his best, most precious thing was ripped. Once I got LegoMaster back inside, I held up one of his favorite Legos and told him to "kiss it goodbye" because I was about to put it on eBay. I hate when I go wild, but this kid must learn. And if it is learned in the price of selling one Lego set, then I guess that is a price I will have to pay.
Drum Roll Please, because #7 is really cool.....
7. I believe I have lost 15 pounds!!! I say it this way because I had forgotten to weigh myself before my sugar fast during lent, so I am just estimating from what I had weighed last. Some of my clothes no longer fit because they are TOO BIG, not the other way around. I would still like to loose 15 more, maybe 25. If I loose 25 then I would be at the weight I left college which is totally obtainable. But I would be happy with 15. If I keep up with the healthy eating and exercising by way of karate (I got my next belt, purple, last night BTW) and moving mulch.
I guess I felt like a lot of capital letters today. Ta ta for now.
2. I was able to get a HUGE amount of stuff out of my house in our garage sale. (Remember this 40-bag challenge photo? I had more than double that.) My goal was to make enough money to pay for karate camp for the boys. And we did! Plus some! Paid for one payment on our CSA also. Cool. Also made roughly 472 trips to goodwill-type drop-offs. Well, maybe not that many, but I was going every day for a week so it felt like that many. So in truth, I did get a lot done. I was not being grumpy in #1 above. Maybe not.
3. I have 15 tomato plants..Yes FIFTEEN tomato plants: beefsteak, roma and cherry. I decided to try to start tomatoes from seeds this year. The boys and I planted one egg carton each of the three types. Since I have nothing next to a green thumb, I figured I would get two, maybe three, plants from each egg carton. Well, the seed gods smiled on me and I have a wonderful amount of green viney-like plants. I better stock up on canning jars. <huge smile> Just a couple in this photo, not sure why I did not take the whole shebang.
4. The main part of my flowerbeds are mulched. Clap-clap-clap. Whoosh, that was a lot of work. I think I have put down six yards, roughly. There are still the around the tree type mulching jobs that need to be done. But to do those, I need 10 gallons of Round-Up. Or maybe more with all the weeds that are there. But I am proud that what is near the house is looking good. I can't believe I did all that, and liked it. I couldn't do it for a career, but it was very rewarding.
5. I only Pinned two or three things today. How's that for a confession? Forgive me Father, for I have.....Pinned. Chuckle!
6. LegoMaster sent me over the edge today by grabbing Buzz's lovey and ripping it. We have a house rule that favorite items are not touched unless one has been lost and you are the recovery crew. LegoMaster has been walking the fine line of kindness (good-v-bad) with his brother as of late and I am at my tolerance limit. When I heard the wailing from the next room, I knew something was terribly wrong. I find LM running out the door and Buzz crying like.... well, like his best, most precious thing was ripped. Once I got LegoMaster back inside, I held up one of his favorite Legos and told him to "kiss it goodbye" because I was about to put it on eBay. I hate when I go wild, but this kid must learn. And if it is learned in the price of selling one Lego set, then I guess that is a price I will have to pay.
Drum Roll Please, because #7 is really cool.....
7. I believe I have lost 15 pounds!!! I say it this way because I had forgotten to weigh myself before my sugar fast during lent, so I am just estimating from what I had weighed last. Some of my clothes no longer fit because they are TOO BIG, not the other way around. I would still like to loose 15 more, maybe 25. If I loose 25 then I would be at the weight I left college which is totally obtainable. But I would be happy with 15. If I keep up with the healthy eating and exercising by way of karate (I got my next belt, purple, last night BTW) and moving mulch.
I guess I felt like a lot of capital letters today. Ta ta for now.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
PIN IT!
Well, it has happened. I have found a new addiction. I swear every New Year’s that I will no longer take on new hobbies. Like a new year’s resolution. You know: lose weight, spend more time with my kids, eat less red meat, clean the toilets more, and take on no new hobbies.
I do this because I have this tendency to become obsessed. When I learned how to knit, my BIL (One of the many) laughed that he never saw my face anymore, just the top of my head and a pair of metal needles flying around. I gasped; then realized he was right. I had been knitting at every available moment-including when family got together. I did not think the conversation was boring, but my hands were idle. And I didn’t know yet that others don’t realize one can listen and knit at the same time. We can you know.
I am talking with Buzz’s best friend’s mom, who is UU-ber creative. One should peruse her blog-happiness. She has written two books about crafting and knitting and needle/thread/fabric fun. Can you hear me talking fast now?? But I degress-
She told me about this site where one can “pin” ideas and great stuff they find on the web. It is called pinterest.com.
I have spent way too many hours creating my pin board. I am actively searching out things I like, even though I think the whole premise is to have a spot to put ideas one finds. Not spend hours looking for everything you have ever liked since you were 9 year old.
For example, I sit on the couch thinking: What are my favorite books? Then I find a couple of covers to pin from Amazon and go peacefully on my way. Until…………..I am driving in the car and realize I like another book. Once I get home I rush to my handy laptop to find it and pin it. Later, I realize while cooking dinner that I forgot about that book I read when I was about so old…. Off to find the laptop while the greens are simmering. I can get on more pin in before the food burns, I think.
You should try it. It is kinda like have a place to bookmark things. Then spend some time looking at random other’s pin boards. You may find someone who shares your interests.
Have fun pinning!
Monday, June 6, 2011
First CSA offering
Yesterday was the first pick up day for our new CSA. I chose this one this year because it is less than a mile from our house and is organic. I have bought produce from her at the local farmers market for a few years and the quality is great. She has garlic that is to die for! I could bottle the smell and sniff it for hours. Weird I know, but the smells of garlic and basil really make my skirt fly up (quick-name that blog).
This bag brought us a few goodies: red leaf lettuce, fresh oregano, baby garlic, asparagus, homemade jarred BBQ sauce, and a dozen free-range eggs. I think she felt bad about not giving us more but his spring as sucked as far as garden goings-on, so I totally understand.
The asparagus is already history. If you have never had fresh picked asparagus, you must at some point in your life. Put it on your bucket list. You will forever thank me and will refuse to buy the tasteless asparagus that most grocery stores offer.
There are two recipes for the baby garlic. One being a pesto. I am already salivating thinking about it and it is on my list of things to do today.
I am so looking forward to each week's basket. Since we get our share of the ripe produce, it could contain anything!!
This bag brought us a few goodies: red leaf lettuce, fresh oregano, baby garlic, asparagus, homemade jarred BBQ sauce, and a dozen free-range eggs. I think she felt bad about not giving us more but his spring as sucked as far as garden goings-on, so I totally understand.
The asparagus is already history. If you have never had fresh picked asparagus, you must at some point in your life. Put it on your bucket list. You will forever thank me and will refuse to buy the tasteless asparagus that most grocery stores offer.
There are two recipes for the baby garlic. One being a pesto. I am already salivating thinking about it and it is on my list of things to do today.
I am so looking forward to each week's basket. Since we get our share of the ripe produce, it could contain anything!!
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